Medical practice

Domain 3: Communication partnership and teamwork

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Communicate effectively

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You must listen to patients, take account of their views, and respond honestly to their questions.

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You must give patients20 the information they want or need to know in a way they can understand. You should make sure that arrangements are made, wherever possible, to meet patients’ language and communication needs.21

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Patients here includes those people with the legal authority to make healthcare decisions on a patient’s behalf.

You must be aware of how your behaviour may influence others within and outside the team.

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Patient safety may be affected if there is not enough medical cover. So you must take up any post you have formally accepted, and work your contractual notice period before leaving a job, unless the employer has reasonable time to make other arrangements.

Teaching, training, supporting and assessing

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You should be prepared to contribute to teaching and training doctors and students.

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You must make sure that all staff you manage have appropriate supervision.

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You must be honest and objective when writing references, and when appraising or assessing the performance of colleagues, including locums and students. References must include all information relevant to your colleagues’ competence, performance and conduct.22

Continuity and coordination of care

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You must contribute to the safe transfer of patients between healthcare providers and between health and social care providers. This means you must:

share all relevant information with colleagues involved in your patients’ care within and outside the team, including when you hand over care as you go off duty, and when you delegate care or refer patients to other health or social care providers8

check, where practical, that a named clinician or team has taken over responsibility when your role in providing a patient’s care has ended. This may be particularly important for patients with impaired capacity or who are vulnerable for other reasons.

When you do not provide your patients’ care yourself, for example when you are off duty, or you delegate the care of a patient to a colleague, you must be satisfied that the person providing care has the appropriate qualifications, skills and experience to provide safe care for the patient.8

You must support patients in caring for themselves to empower them to improve and maintain their health. This may, for example, include:

advising patients on the effects of their life choices and lifestyle on their health and well-being

supporting patients to make lifestyle changes where appropriate.

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You must explain to patients if you have a conscientious objection to a particular procedure. You must tell them about their right to see another doctor and make sure they have enough information to exercise that right. In providing this information you must not imply or express disapproval of the patient’s lifestyle, choices or beliefs. If it is not practical for a patient to arrange to see another doctor, you must make sure that arrangements are made for another suitably qualified colleague to take over your role.23

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